NPCIL losing Rs5 cr daily due to Kudankulam delay

The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited is losing nearly Rs5 crore everyday due to the delay in commissioning of the Kudankulam nuclear plant in Tamil Nadu because of protests from locals, a senior official said here today.

"With the delay in commissioning of the project, we are losing almost Rs5 crore everyday on maintenance and other related expenses," NPCIL technical director SA Bharadwaj told reporters.

The first and second units of the project are being built with the help of Russian Federation, and the first of the 1,000 MW Vodo Vodyanoy Eenergeticsky Reactor (VVER), which is the Russian version of pressurised heavy-water reactor, should have been commissioned by now.

Besides the first and second units, there were plans to have two more 1,000 MW VVER around the same site. However, because of the delay, those too hang in balance.

"We have to maintain the plant, we have to pay the site staff and we are not producing electricity despite the fact that the plant is ready," he said.

The Corporation, which is awaiting Tamil Nadu decision on the re-commissioning of the work, expects the project to be completed within three to four months once it receives the final go ahead.

"Nearly 90% of the work is completed and once Tamil Nadu gives its final okay, we start our countdown... In the next three-four months, we would be able to commission the first unit and subsequently in eight to nine months the second unit. If we are lucky, we may be able to start the second unit before that," Bharadwaj said.